Auditory Processing and Speech Perception in the Elderly Users of Hearing Aids and Effects of the Auditory Training on Them

Age-related hearing loss (presbycusis) refers to symmetrical bilateral hearing loss, which results from aging and affects most people over 70, and its effects are more frequent at high frequencies, which are important in speech recognition. This progressive hearing loss is characterized by features such as changing the audiometric threshold and speech perception problems in noisy environments. Recent findings suggest that in addition to audibility of the signal, cognitive factors such as attention, working memory, and speed of processing also play a significant role in speech perception both in noise and silence. Although hearing aids enhance hearing, they cannot compensate for the defects that occur in the auditory temporal processing. Another solution is to use auditory training. Auditory-based training can partially restore age-related defects in temporal processing in the brain, and this plasticity in turn leads to improved cognitive and perceptual skills.

In the current review article, some of the topics discussed about auditory processing and speech perception in the elderly, as well as the role of amplification and training in them, were selected in articles obtained from Scopus PubMed, Google scholar, and Science direct databases published between 1971-2019.

With regard to the results of auditory training in increment of auditory perception in the elderly, a primary assessment of central auditory processing capabilities and auditory training program should be considered as a basic step for their management. Therefore, the role of audiologists become very important in the detection of central aspects of presbycusis and explaining the importance of auditory training program as a part of selecting and fitting hearing aids for the elderly.